WASHINGTON (MEDIA GENERAL) — The House GOP conference officially selected Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., Wednesday as its choice to be the next speaker of the House.

As the chamber’s conservatives cloistered in the Longworth building across from the Capitol, hundreds of media crammed into hallways, doorways and stairwells to capture videos and tweet pictures of members walking in to cast votes.

Once photographers got their shots, print and broadcast press swarmed Reps. Ryan and Murphy, shouting questions and inadvertently leaving GOP Whip Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., without a path to the press conference podium. He and other party leaders eventually found detours to the front.

With the new Republican leadership team gathered around the microphones, Rep. Ryan spoke to a lobby full of press and staff members perched on chairs and leaning over security barricades to capture the historic moment.

Some member of the GOP stuck around for a few minutes to chat with reports — and then, suddenly, the bustling Longworth building was back to normal.

The full House is expected to vote on Rep. Ryan’s speakership Thursday, bringing with it another full scale media melee.